


Sweet caffeine

by hunterofangels



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Gen, M/M, Pre-Barisi, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-10 07:36:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6945955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunterofangels/pseuds/hunterofangels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tiny Coffee Shop Au (because it's basically an obligation in every fandom, right?) for a prompt I saw on tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweet caffeine

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a native english speaker so there may be some mistakes. Please, feel free to correct me if you find any!

It was a tuesday morning when he came in - more accurately, rushed in - for the first time, and it took Sonny all his strength not to drop his jaw.

The other man was definitely in a hurry, for he kept checking his watch every two seconds and making a face that could only be described as pure annoyance, but _sweet jesus, he was cute._

After a while - and some throat-cleaning sounds coming from the other clients, craving for attention, Sonny forced himself to stop staring at the man currently waiting in line - who, luckily, didn't seem to notice - and got back to his work.

It was still pretty early in the morning but the coffee shop had never been busier, which was a bit weird but Sonny wouldn't complain. He actually liked working as a Barista - Until he finished university, of course. Then he would be a lawyer - Well, that was the plan at least.

In no time the line had moved and Sonny found himself facing the cute guy - who didn't even look up from his cellphone.

"Um.. What can I get you?"

The guy finally seemed to remember what he was there for and looked up. And Sonny could swear he froze for a second.

"An espresso. Hm, Make it double, por favor."

"Sure thing".

Sonny quickly finished up the order and made it to go - He got the feeling that the guy didn't have the time to sit and drink his coffee.

"There you go" Sonny said putting the coffee on the counter "That'll be three dollars, please".

The cute guy took some coins out of his pocket and gave it to Sonny, and when their hands touched, Sonny would swear over his Mother's grave that the other guy blushed too.

 

As it turns out the guy's name was Rafael - Or so he overheard a woman call him that - and he became a regular.

He would come to the Cafe at lunch time and sit at a small table near the window. In front of him, there were always several papers spread through the table and he had a notepad that barely left his hand.

It became a routine.

And Sonny couldn't help but notice a couple of things - The guy had a very poor diet. And was probably going to have a heart attack someday.

Rafael didn't eat.

He had been coming to the Cafe for a while now and it was always at lunch time, but he never ordered any food.

Sure, he could be eating elsewhere, but Sonny seriously doubted that.

Rafael drank coffee. A lot of it.

Sometimes he would order three double espressos in a row.

Rafael was overworked.

He would sit at the table and drink his coffee while writing things down for an hour or so, then he would grab his stuff and go back to his office to continue doing the very same thing - He overheard the same woman that called him Rafael complains about his work schedule.

And the craziest thing of all was that Sonny actually worried about it. him.

Sonny didn't know why, but he wanted to do something about this whole situation.

But _what_?

He couldn't just sit down in front of the guy and tell him how unhealthy he was, because, after all, it wasn't his business. - That, and the fact that it would also give away that Sonny had been noticing Rafael's habits and that could come out as sort of creepy.

But still, he wanted to do something.

He had to be discreet.

He couldn't force the other man to eat, or simply drop food on his table, so that was out.

Neither could he say a thing about the other man's work.

And the coffee... Well.

Sonny actually had an idea about that.

 

He would get caught.

Sonny was still doing it, but he had this feeling deep inside his heart that it wouldn't work.

'no back down now' he thought to himself while walking to Rafael's table with his coffee in hand.

"There you go" Sonny said, putting the coffee in front of the other man and failing not to look anxious.

"Thank you, Dominick".

Sonny actually blushed.

Rafael had been calling him by the name for a couple of days now, but Sonny just couldn't get used to it.

He always blushed - And he was pretty sure Rafael knew that and did it on purpose, because he would always let out a subtle grin.

Rafael brought the cup to his lips and Sonny couldn't stop staring.

He waited for a reaction, which predictably came.

"Um, did you put something in here?" But before Sonny could answer, Rafael continued "- Because it tastes amazing. Is it cinnamon?"

Sonny's eyes widened but he managed to maintain his posture.

That wasn't what he was expecting, but wasn't life just gorgeous sometimes?

He almost didn't manage to stop a sigh of relief from escaping his lips.

"Hm, let's just say it's a secret".

Rafael quirked his eyebrows, as if he was not expecting that answer.

"That sounds as if you're putting poison in my drink and doing a terrible job at hiding it".

Sonny laughed.

"I promise it's nothing lethal". After a pause, he added. "And if I were to kill you, I would do a better job for not getting caught"

"Would you?" Rafael asked with a smirk.

"Well, we do have lessons about homicide in law school. It gives you ideas". Sonny said, joking.

"I'll have you know that, as I prosecutor, I would come back from the grave only to nail your ass in court".

"You are a prosecutor?" Sonny asked, not containing his surprise.

"I'm an ADA, yes." Said Rafael, smiling "And I see that you're a law student".

"Fordham law. Night school. Um.. I take the bar in a couple of weeks, actually".

Sonny felt a heat coming up through his body.

He couldn't believe that Rafael was not only extremely cute, he was also a prosecutor. An ADA, for Christ sake!

'Nice pick for a crush, Sonny', he thought to himself.

"Is that so?" Rafael asked and paused for a moment, as if he was considering his next words, then added "The bar is quite a challenge, Dominick. Have you been studying enough? I mean, with your job and classes to attend it may be hard to properly dedicate yourself".

Sonny didn't know how to respond to that. So, obviously, he blushed.

'Is he really interested?' Sonny wondered to himself.

"Hm, I mean, I study every night after school. Sometimes I stay until dawn, y'know?" He said "In every break I have during my day I pick my book up and read it."

Rafael actually looked surprised. After a pause in which Rafael made a face as if he was considering something, he picked his brief case of the floor, put it on his lap and opened it. He then picked a card from inside and handed it to Sonny.

"Here is my office address. If you're interested you can come down some time and I can lend you some of my books and other materials".

Sonny froze in shock.

Was he offering to _help_ him?

"Oh, and there's also my cell number at the back. You can call me if you need any help"

Ok, now Sonny just couldn't understand. 'Why is he being so nice?' He thought.

But Rafael continued "Or if you want to meet someday and grab a coffee".

Oh.

 _Oh_.

"You know, for pure academic reasons" Rafael finished, hiding his smirk behind his cup of coffee.

When Sonny decided it was safe to speak without his voice cracking, he said "One might think you're actually making a move on me, counselor".

"Aren't you quite the detective?" Rafael said, sassy as ever. "I thought it would be safe to ask. I get this funny feeling that the interest is mutual".

So Sonny's looks haven't been unnoticed. So much for discretion...

" Um, thanks a lot. For the offer, I mean. I.. Hm, I really appreciate it" He said, still stumbling at some words and trying to absorb everything that was going on "I can stop by at your office after lunch time, if it's okay. I'll even bring you coffee to thank you".

Rafael smiled and picked up his coffee to take one more sip.

"As long as you put whatever the hell it is that you put inside this one, it's fine by me".

Sonny almost didn't stop himself from smirking.

"Even if it does turn out to be lethal?" he asked, joking.

Rafael couldn't contain a smile.

"Well, if death comes as sweet as this coffee, I won't complain".

 

Sonny got back to the counter still smiling.

Not only had his plan worked, Rafael actually enjoyed it.

And he got a date out of it... Sort of.

Little did Rafael know that Sonny hadn't add anything on his coffee, on the contrary.

'If decaf coffee tastes as good as Rafael made it sound, even I'm changing ways' Sonny thought to himself, still smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! <3


End file.
